Machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials

ABSTRACT

Improved machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products, into containers; comprising a feeding or dosing mechanism with a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, preferably in the form of cylinders with reciprocable plungers therein, and means for alternately filling the receiving members by way of a valve which has a partition-shaped valve element therein; means for transporting the containers to a filling position, and for elevating them one by one, for receiving the dosed materials from a discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine in an orderly and continuous manner.

United States Patent [191 Spano et all.

[451 Feb. 26, 1974 MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY FILLING MEASURED QUANTITIES OF MATERIALS Filed: Dec. 14, 1970 Appl. No.: 97,925

[52] US. Cl 141/131, 141/156, 141/172,

141/248 Int. Cl B651) 43/42 Field or Search 141/129-191, 258-262,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,049,722 8/1936 Phillips et al. 141/172 Primary Examiner-Houston S. Bell, Jr. Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Tab T. Thein [5 7 ABSTRACT Improved machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products, into containers; comprising a feeding or closing mechanism with a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, preferably in the form of cylinders with reciprocable plungers therein, and means for alternately filling the receiving members by way of a valve which has a partition-shaped valve element therein; means for transporting the containers to a filling position, and for elevating them one by one, for receiving the dosed materials from a discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine in an orderly and continuous manner.

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MHQQM PATENTEB FEBZB I974 m an (IF 1' 0 PMENIEQ W sum as: or 10 MACHINE FUR (IONTINIJGIUSILY FILLING MEASURED QUANTITIES E MATERIALS This invention relates to a machine for the continuous filling of measured quantities of materials, and more particularly to a machine for filling containers with materials in paste form or in chunks, more particularly food products such as corn beef, fish, and the like.

Various types of machines are known for filling con tainers with products in paste form or in large chunks, where volumetric measuring of the same is necessary as a function of the specific weight of each product so as to determine the quantity of the container to be filled as nearly accurately as possible.

There are machines in which the operation consists in bringing the empty containers to the loading station by means of a conveyer mechanism which rotates intermittently and to provide the machine at the loading station with a funnel-shaped receptacle which receives the material to be discharged into the containers and whose discharge opening is opened automatically by movement of the containers to the loading station, returning to close the same after feeding an adequate quantity of the product to the leading container.

There are also other machines in which between the funnel-shaped receptacle and the discharge opening there is connected a measuring feeder which permits the complete filling of the container in a single direction, for which purpose there is made use of a space having a volume equal to that of the container to be filled from the discharge opening of the funnel-shaped receptacle and is thereafter pressed in a second stage toward the container.

This procedure has the disadvantage that the operation is carried out intermittently and only permits the filling of containers in accordance with a fixed volume determined by the loading space of the feeder device.

The present invention provides a feeding device for use in a machine for the continuous filling of contain? ers, whereby the filling of the latter may be effected in-- dependently of the volume or capacity of the measuring valve, which in itself operates continuously, so as to substantially accelerate the filling operation.

These and other features of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the description which follows, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which there is illustrated a preferred, exemplary embodiment of the inventive machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, including an improved feeding or dosing device. In the drawings FIG. I is a view in front elevation of a machine embodying the novel features according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the machine of FIG. 1;

FlGfE) is a vertical sectional view of the machine, from the side opposite to that of FlG. 2, along the line A A of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional, somewhat enlarged view of the feeding device of the machine of FIGS. ll through 3;

FIG. 5 is a view in partial section of the operating means of the plungers of the feeding device of FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a sectional view along the line B B of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a view in longitudinal section of the operating means of the valve element of the feeding device;

FIG. d is a partial plan view of means shown in FIG. 7 for pivoting the valve element;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view along the line D D of FIG. 4, illustrating further parts of the feeding device;

FIG. 10 is a view in longitudinal section of the discharge conduit, including a cross-sectional detail view;

FIG. llll is another sectional view of the discharge conduit of FIG. lid, with parts broken away;

FIG. H2 is a plan view of a portion of the conveyor of the machine; and

FIG. 13 is a transverse section of the machine portion as shown in FIG. 12.

The machine illustrated in the drawings comprises essentially a frame Ell having side walls It and an upper partition 12. In the base of frame Ill there is disposed a support or bearing 13 for a main shaft 14 which extends upward to partition 12, and beyond the same through an opening provided therein for that purpose (see FIG. 3).

Exteriorly of one of the walls Ill there is a bracket 15 which supports a reduction gear-type power unit 16 having a drive shaft I7 provided with a tripping or starting mechanism 1% connected to a gear l9 which through a chain 20 is connected to another gear 21, integral with a truncated locking mechanism 22 that is operated by an electromagnetic starter 23, sensitive to the presence of a container at the filling position, the latter being also connected by a' gear 24 and a chain 25 to a control shaft 26 of a conveyer belt 27 for advancing the containers to be filled (shown only schematically, in broken lines, in FIG. 12 which will be described later).

Main shaft lid includes a main drive mechanism 28 for a purpose to be explained hereinafter. On partition I2 there is arranged a casing 29 in which there are housed the drive elements of a feeding or dosing device 36), arranged laterally of casing 29, and upon conveyer 27, beneath a funnel-shaped receptacle 31 in which there is provided a feed screw 32 which presses the contents of receptacle Ill toward a discharge opening 33 formed as part of a shaft 34 connected by a transmission 35 to the end of a secondary shaft 36 extending parallel to main shaft l4 and connected to the same by main drive mechanism 23. Feeding device 30 includes a valve body 37 having a flat upper surface 38 (FlG. 4) which fits discharge opening 33 of receptacle El and a lower surface 39 which fits a feeding and cutting opening Altl (FIGS. 11 to 4).

Extending from upper surface 3% there is an upper cylindrical conduit d1 (FIG. 4) which is coaxial with discharge opening 33 and which leads into a cylindrical cavity 44 whose axis is perpendicular with respect to the axis of conduit dll. Coaxial with said conduit 41, and adjacent to lower surface 39, there is a lower cylindrical conduit 32 which has a truncated reducing sleeve 45 whose major base leads into cavity dd. At points spaced Ml relative to conduits 41, 42, cavity 44 is provided with diametrically opposed openings 46, 47 in which are received respective cylinders 48, 49 within which are slidingly mounted plungers 50, 51. These elements respectively constitute receiving and pushing members for the materials to be filled in the containers.

Cavity 44 houses a valve element 52 having two concave walls 53, 54' extending longitudinally of the axis of cavity dd and defining at their ends curved surfaces 55, 5d of a radius equal to that of cavity 41d, valve element 52 being integral with a shaft 57 (see FIG. 9) mounted in bearings 5% provided in body 37, which shaft extends on both sides thereof. One end of shaft 57 carries a gear segment 59 (see also FIG. 7) engaging a rack 60 integral with a connecting rod 61 (FIGS. 3, 4, 7) under the control of a cam 62 carried by shaft 14. Rod 61 carries a sleeve 63 from which extend two projections 64, 65 (FIG. 8) in which are mounted stops 66, 67 which are in the same plane as shaft 14, the distance between them corresponding to the distance between any two diametrically opposed points along the periphery of cam 62. It will be understood that elements 57 through 67 constitute pivoting means for valve element 52.

Coming now back to FIGS. 3 and 4, plungers 50, 51, which are slidable in cylinders 48, 49, respectively, are connected to plunger 50 by means of a projection 68 (FIG. 4) secured to a support 69 formed integral with a connecting rod 70 (FIGS. 4 to 6) which extends parallel to cylinder 48 laterally of body 37 of feeding device 30 and passing through a sleeve 71 integral with said feeding device.

Plunger 51 has a longitudinal projection 72 which passes through a sleeve 73 and is integral therewith. Both sleeves 71, 73 are integral with a control member 74 which, beneath the level of sleeves 71, 73, has a housing 75 (FIG. 6 only) for a stop 76 integral with an internally threaded sleeve 77 mounted on a bolt or screw 78 by which the position of stop 76 and housing 75 may be varied. Bolt 78 is firmly supported by a weight control member 79 connected at its lower end portion by a linkage 80 (FIG. driven by a gear 81 that is eccentrically mounted on main shaft 14 for rotation therewit. Elements 68 through 81 constitute reciprocating means for plungers 50, 51.

Feeding and cutting opening 40 (FIGS. 1 to 4) includes a body 82 (FIG. secured to lower surface 39 of feeding device 30 and having a passage 90 that is coaxial with reducing sleeve 45 (FIG. 4), said passage forming a part of body 82 and being provided with a discharge conduit 83. Exteriorly of said conduit there is rotatably mounted a support 84 for a cylindrical envelope 85 which adjustably covers discharge conduit 83, the extreme end of which connects with discharge opening 33, and whose transverse plane is arranged to form an angle with the longitudinal axis of the discharge opening. Envelope 85 has a sharp edge 86 arranged in the plane of said discharge opening and acting as a cutting knife, arranged to rotate about discharge opening 33 when envelope 85 turns about conduit 83.

Rotation is produced by means of a gear 87 carried by support 84 and connected to a rack 88 (FIG. 11) passing through body 82 and controlled by main drive mechanism 28 upon completion of the filling of a container.

Conveyer belt 27 includes a platform 100 (see FIG. 13) made in two parts spaced from one another and each of which is provided with plates 101 (see also FIG. 12) extending beyond the inner edge of platforms 100 and the two together defining a groove 102. On plates 101 there are provided along and parallel to said groove 102 guide members 103 arranged in a manner such as to slide toward and away from groove 102. Sliding through said groove are container carriers or stops 104 which are entrained by a chain 105 mounted between pinions 106, 107 (FIG. 1) on both ends of platforms 100 and driven by a transmission connected to main drive 28.

Conveyer 27 in its central portion is provided with loading plates 108 (also FIG. 12) which extend inwardly of the track defined by guide members 103 and on the same level as plates 101. Plates 108 are mounted on shafts 109 connected to a lifting mechanism 110 which, in the preferred embodiment, consists of a crank lever 111 pivotally connected at its apex, and having one of its ends connected to said shafts, while the opposite end is actuated by a spring 112 having regulating means 113.

The arm of lever 111 between the pivotal connection and shafts 109 is connected to a cam mechanism 114 having a first position of maximum movement in which plates 108 remain at the maximum point of elevation above platforms 100 and then has four positions of descent determined by a pawl and ratchet mechanism 115 connected to cam mechanism 114 and actuated by asuitable transmission means connected to main drive 28 when a container is detected above said plates 108.

The operation of the machine will be described with particular reference to feeding or closing device (FIGS. 3, 4), reference being made to the other mechanisms of the machine in a general way and only in an illustrative manner for a better understanding of the operation of the feeding device.

The containers to be filled are placed on conveyer 27 over plates 101 (FIGS. 12, 13) and between guide members 103, on which they are moved over said plates by carriers or stops 104 until the container to be filled reaches plates 108 where it actuates locking mechanism 22 which interrupts the movement of chain 105 and connects cam mechanism 114 (FIG. 1). Rotation of the latter causes the shorter arm of crank lever 111 to move counterclockwise under the action of spring 112 whereby, through shafts 109, loading plates 108 and the container are placed in a raised position such that feeding and cutting opening is located close to the bottom of the container.

From power unit 16 (FIGS. 2, 3) movement is transmitted to main shaft 14 through starter mechanism 18, gearing and chain 20, and from shaft 14 to shaft 36 through an appropriate transmission. Rotation of shaft 36 imparts, through transmission 35, rotation to shaft 34 which, through feed screw 32, presses the contents of funnel-shaped receptacle 31 toward cylindrical conduit 41 of feeding or dosing device 30.

Conduit 41 (FIGS. 3, 4) is in communication with cylindrical cavity 44, opening 46, cylinder 48, the piston 50 being in the retracted position shown in FIG. 4. In this manner, the material is forced through conduit 41, slides over concave wall 53 and enters cylinder 48. When the latter becomes filled with material, main shaft 14 is connected to be driven by locking mechanism 22 and rotates it with cam 62 which, through stops 65, 66, moves connecting rod 61. This causes movement of shaft 57 of valve element 52 and produces a 90 turn, whereby upper conduit 41 is placed in communication with cavity 44 through concave wall 54, and opening 47 with cylinder 49.

Cylinder 48 is thus connected, through cavity 44 and concave wall 53, with reducing sleeve 45, to feeding and cutting opening 40 to enable it to discharge the material contained in cylinder 48. Simultaneously, rotation of shaft 14 causes movement of gear 81 and of linkage 80 to move weight control member 79 and with it control member 74 which, through associated sleeves 7 1, 73, moves connecting rod and longitudinal projection 72 of plunger 51. This causes plunger 50 to move toward opening 46, and plunger 51 to move away from opening 47, leaving the interior of cylinder 49 free to receive the material which is fed continuously from funneLshaped receptacle 31 by feed screw 32.

Movement of plunger 50 in cylinder 43 causes the feed of the material contained in the latter, which is then discharged through cavity 44 and reducing sleeve 45, to feeding and cutting opening db and thence to the container.

As the material enters the container, pawl and ratchet mechanism H5 (FIG. )1), properly synchronized, permits movement of cam mechanism 114 to move crank lever llll clockwise and under platforms 100 up to the level with plates 108 in four consecutive steps to completely fill the containers without leaving empty spaces which might cause difficulties during the later compacting stage, if any.

in this manner, it is possible to fill containers having a weight corresponding to the volume left free by the displacement of plunger 5% in cylinder 1%. When each container is filled, main drive 28 interrupts the transmission to main shaft H43, and rack 8b is actuated, passing through body 82 to cause gear 8'7 on support 84 to turn and with it envelope 85 whose sharp edge 86 cuts the material remaining in the opening of discharge conduit d3.

it will be evident that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiment described and illustrated herein, and that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed herein.

What we claim is:

11. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combina tion: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fedin materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the dosed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for trans-porting the con tainers to a filling position; means for el-evating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improve ment wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said discharging means includes a conduit below said valve means, with a rotatable envelope having a terminal edge portion cooperating with the end of said conduit, for cutting off the material discharge when said envelope is rotated.

2. The filling machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving members are substantially cylindrical and lodge therein respective reciprocable plunger means which constitute said pushing means.

3. The filling machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said control means further includes means for alternately reciprocating said plunger means between respective end positions in which the volumes of said receiving members are selectively and alternately increased and reduced.

l. The filling machine as defined in claim ll, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates hereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means.

5. The filling machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said elevating means includes a crank-lever mechanism actuating on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading late.

ti. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fed in materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the dosed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for transporting the containers to a filling position; means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said valve means includes a body defining a cavity, four conduits leading thereto, pairs of which are substantially diametrally opposed, a first opening constituting said inlet, a second said outlet, while the re maining two are connected to respective ones of said receiving members, and furthermore a valve element rotatably disposed in said cavity for selectively interconnecting adjoining pairs of said conduits in respective operative positions.

7. The filling machine as defined in claim ti, wherein said cavity is substantially cylindrical, and said valve element is in the form of a pivotable partition in said cavity with two opposite concave walls defining at their ends curved surfaces, and wherein said control means includes means for alternately pivoting said valve element into its operative positions.

8. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fedin materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the closed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for transporting the containers to a filling position; means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates thereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means, the latter including a crank-lever mechanism acting on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading plate, wherein said control means further includes means sensitive to the presence of a container at the filling position, for correlating the operations of said dosing means, said discharging means, said pushing means, said transporting means and said elevating means, so as to result in a continuous filling operation, and wherein said sensitive means is in the form of a locking mechanism including electromagnetic means, for interrupting the movement of said convey-er means and initiating the action of said cam mechanism and of said pawl and ratchet mechanism.

I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE, CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 1 5 7 Dated February 26, 197 -1- Inventor(s) V p et 611.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5 line #2 (claim 1, line 10) correct the spelling of "transporting";

line 45 (cl. 1, 1. ll), correctthe spelling of "elevating";

column 6, line 5 (cl. 4, l. 5), change "hereon" to thereon 1 line 11 (cl. 5, l. 5) change "actuating" to acting line 15 (cl. 5 l. '7) change "late" to plate and v column '8, line 12 (cl. 8, 5rd line from end), correct the spelling of "conveyer".

The name of the last inventor should correctly read Noemi Mabel Campiani In the inventors address, cancel "c/o".

Signed and sealed this 9th day of July 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM PO-1050 (10-69) v uscoMM-Dc 60376-P69 U.5. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: (969 0-365-334 

1. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the dosed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for trans-porting the containers to a filling position; means for el-evating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said discharging means includes a conduit below said valve means, with a rotatable envelope having a terminal edge portion cooperating with the end of said conduit, for cutting off the material discharge when said envelope is rotated.
 2. The filling machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said receiving members are substantially cylindrical and lodge therein respective reciprocable plunger means which constitute said pushing means.
 3. The filling machine as defined in claim 2, wherein said control means further includes means for alternately reciprocating said plunger means between respective end positions in which the volumes of said receiving members are selectively and alternately increased and reduced.
 4. The filling machine as defined in claim 1, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates hereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means.
 5. The filling machine as defined in claim 4, wherein said elevating means includes a crank-lever mechanism actuating on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading late.
 6. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the dosed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for transporting the containers to a filling position; means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means dispoSed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said valve means includes a body defining a cavity, four conduits leading thereto, pairs of which are substantially diametrally opposed, a first opening constituting said inlet, a second said outlet, while the remaining two are connected to respective ones of said receiving members, and furthermore a valve element rotatably disposed in said cavity for selectively interconnecting adjoining pairs of said conduits in respective operative positions.
 7. The filling machine as defined in claim 6, wherein said cavity is substantially cylindrical, and said valve element is in the form of a pivotable partition in said cavity with two opposite concave walls defining at their ends curved surfaces, and wherein said control means includes means for alternately pivoting said valve element into its operative positions.
 8. A machine for continuously filling measured quantities of materials, such as food products in paste form and in chunks, into containers, comprising, in combination: means for continuously feeding the materials, including a material receptacle; means for dosing the fed-in materials into measured quantities; means for discharging the dosed materials into containers; means for pushing the materials from said dosing means into said discharging means; means for transporting the containers to a filling position; means for elevating the containers one by one at the filling position, for receiving the dosed materials from said discharging means; and control means for providing synchronized operation of the machine; further comprising the improvement wherein said dosing means includes a pair of receiving members having predetermined volumes for the measured material quantities, valve means disposed between said receiving members and operatively connected at its inlet with said feeding means and at its outlet with said discharging means; and means for alternately filling said receiving members by way of said valve means with the material fed to the latter from said feeding means, wherein said transporting means includes movable conveyer means, a number of plates thereon for carrying the containers, with stops for entraining the latter, and at least one loading plate adapted to be raised and lowered by said elevating means, the latter including a crank-lever mechanism acting on said at least one loading plate, a cam mechanism and a cooperating pawl and ratchet mechanism, for providing a number of vertical positions at different elevations before, during and after filling of the containers on said at least one loading plate, wherein said control means further includes means sensitive to the presence of a container at the filling position, for correlating the operations of said dosing means, said discharging means, said pushing means, said transporting means and said elevating means, so as to result in a continuous filling operation, and wherein said sensitive means is in the form of a locking mechanism including electromagnetic means, for interrupting the movement of said convey-er means and initiating the action of said cam mechanism and of said pawl and ratchet mechanism. 